Oil well tooling positioning apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for centering a lower oil well tool beneath a suspended upper oil well tool and for positioning and rotational coupling of the tools. A centering device receives and positions the lower oil well in generally vertical alignment with the upper oil well tool. A rotatable table carries the centering device at a fixed, predetermined location thereon. The table can be raised upwardly carrying the centering device and the lower oil well tool until the lower oil well tool engages the upper oil well tool. The table can then be rotated to begin the coupling of the two tools. The centering device can also be used alone and can accommodate oil well tools of various diameters and configurations.

Unite Hawkins States Patent [191 [4 1 Oct. 15,1974

[76] Inventor: Harold R. Hawkins, 6675 Holly Way, Anchorage, Alaska 99504 [22] Filed: July 23, 1973 211' Appl. No.: 381,532

[52] US. Cl. 29/406, 81/53 R [51] Int. CI... 13231 17/00, B25b 13/00, B25b 21/00 [58] Field of Search 81/53 R; 29/406; 269/242 Primary Examinerjames L. Jones, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Apparatus and method for centering a lower oil well tool beneath a suspended upper oil well tool and for positioning and rotational coupling of the tools. A centering device receives and positions the lower oil well in generally vertical alignment with the upper oil well tool. A rotatable table carries the centering device at a fixed, predetermined location thereon. The table can be raised upwardly carrying the centering device and the lower oil well tool until the lower oil well tool engages the upper oil well tool. The table can then be rotated to begin the coupling of the two tools. The centering device can also be used alone and can accommodate oil well tools of various-diameters and configurations.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures OIL WELL TOOLING POSITIONING APPARATUS AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF Tl-IEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to oil well tools; and, more particularly, to a centering tool for centering oil well too] collars or the like on positioning and coupling starting apparatus.

2. Description of 'the Prior Art In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603, I described oil well tool apparatus for positioning and lifting a heavy tool into engagement with a suspended upper tool. for rotationally coupling the tools together.

Although this tool works quite well with most upper tools that it is desired to couple to a drill bit or lower tool mounted on a table or the like, there are many tools which could not be handled with the apparatus of my U.S. patent No. 3,670,603. For example, special oil drilling tools such as overshots for fishing, gas lifts and all uneven pup joints can not be handled using the apparatus alone of my U.S. PatrNo. 3,670,603.

There thus exists a need for a centering tool which can be used either alone or with the apparatus of my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603 to center various diameter tools on the positioning and coupling starting apparatus disclosed in my prior patent. Such a tool should hold the pipe or any other cylindrical object desired'to be coupled to the lower tool mounted on the table of my U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603 in a centered position thereon. In addition, such a centering tool should be able to hold any object in a centered position, such as fiat stock, lumber etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a centering tool for use with the oil well tool positioning and coupling starting apparatus disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a centering tool which will fit either inside or outside of the upper oil well tool that it is desired to couple to a lower oil well tool mounted on the turntable of my prior patent.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such a centering tool that will also act as a stabilizer and holding tool for the apparatus disclosed in my prior patent.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a centering tool that can be used alone to position an oil well tool or any suitable device or tool in a stabilized position thereon.

These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing a centering device for receiving and positioning a lower oil well in generally vertical alignment with a suspended upper oil well too]. A rotatable table carries the centering device at a fixed, predetermined location thereon. The table can be raised upwardly carrying the centering device and the lower oil well tool until the lower oil well tool engages the upper oil well tool. The table can then be rotated to begin the coupling of the two tools. The centering device can also be used alone and can accommodate oil well tools of various diameters and configurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION- OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of an oil well drilling rig showing the centering tool of this invention being used in conjunction with the oil well positioning and coupling starting apparatus disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the tool and apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along lines II-II thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plancross-sectional view of the tool and apparatus of FIG. 2 taken along lines IIIIII thereof;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tool and apparatus of FIG. 2 taken along lines I.V IV thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tool and apparatus of FIG. 2 taken along lines V-V thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the centering tool according to this invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The oil well too] positioning and coupling starting apparatus disclosed in myprior U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603 is generaly indicated by the numeral 11. Although'a portion of the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603 will be described hereinbelow with respect to its relationship to the centering tool, indicated generally at 10, the entire disclosure is herein incorporated by reference and those skilled in the art are invited'to said disclosure for a complete understanding of the oil well tool positioning and coupling starting apparatus disclosed therein, indicated herein generally by the numeral 11.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatus 11 is shown in conjunction with an oil well 12 having a drilling table 13 over which a drilling tower l4 rises. Associated with the drilling tower 14 is a power driven winch (not shown) with a wire rope or cable (also not shown) extending therefrom to pass around a pulley (also not shown) at the top of tower 14 before being slung around the upper end of the first pipe 15 of a drill string or the like.

The lower end of the pipe 15 is shown as having an external thread 16 for mating with the internal thread 17 of a tool 18 whichtool may be anydrilling tool, joint or the like. Alternatively, tool 10 may be used to hold any suitable object in a centered position, such as flat stock, lumber, etc. However, preferably, tool l0is used to center orposition a tool having internal threads, such as threads 17, in position on drilling table 13.

Thus, tool 18 may be a drill bit or any heavy lower tool positioned beneath pipe 15 ready to be raised into engagement therewith as disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603.

Generally, the oil well tool positioning and coupling starting apparatus 11 includes table means 19 for receiving and positioning centering tool 10 thereon. As set forth in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603, raising means 20 are associated with table means 19 for raising the table means 19 and the centering means 10 and lower tool 18 thereon generally vertically upwardly until the lower oil well tool 18 engages the upper pipe 15 in a vertically aligned relationship therewith. MOunting means 21 are also associated with table means 19 and raising means 20 as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.

3,670,603 for rotatably mounting table means 19 to permit the rotation of centering tool 10, tool 18 and table means 19 relative to pipe for rotationally coupling tool 18 to pipe 15.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, table means 19 has a diskshaped upper member 22 having a depending boss 23 welded thereto to form an integral part of upper mem-.

ber 22. As best seen in FIG. 1, raising means is a manual L-shaped lever 24 having a table end 25 and a handle end 26. A stabilizing tube pivot 27 is attached to lever 24 at the bend thereof, with tube pivot 27 extending laterally outwardly from lever 24 to a suitable distance to give lateral support thereto (see also FIG. 2). Lever 24 has a reinforcing bar 28 extending from table end 25 thereof over the tube pivot 27 to be attached to the handle end 26 adjacent tube pivot 27. For convenience, handle end 26 may be provided with an eyelet 29 through which a ring 30 passes to facilitate the hanging of apparatus 11 in a convenient out-of-theway location'for storage or the like.

Mounting means 21 includes rotatable means 31, the particular structure thereof being described more fully as. rotatable means 40 in my prior U.S. Pat No. 3,670,603, the subject matter thereof being incorporated herein by reference. The mounting means 21 also include articulating means 32, also as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603.

Additionally, apparatus 11 includes a centering tool locating means 33 which includes a locating pin 34 and extendible and retractable arms 35. Locating pin 34 has a frustoconical upper end with the lower end thereof being slidably and removably located in a central opening 36 of disk-shaped upper member 22. The construction of arms and guiding and locking means for arms 35 are described in detail in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,603. v

The centering tool 10 in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of my invention will now be described in detail with particular reference to FIG. 2. Thus, tool 100 includes a base or housing 37 having a generally centrally located bearing collar 38 extending downwardly from the bottom wall 39 thereof. The aperture 40 in collar 38-is adapted to receive therein 10- cating pin 34 of apparatusll with the bottom wall 39 of base 37 resting on top of arms 35. As can clearly be seen in FIG. 2, the overalllength of bottom wall 39 is substantially equal to the overall length of table means 19 so that tool 10 rests on apparatus 11 and thus the functioning of apparatus 11, as described in U.S. Pat. No.-3,670,603, is retained.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, centering means are provided for laterally adjusting tool 18 on centering tool 10. Such centering means, indicated generally at 41, includes a threaded drive shaft 42 received in a threaded aperture 43 extending transversely of the upper portion of base 37. Base 37 may be frustoconical as shown with the wider portion at the top thereof. Shaft 42 includes a left-handed threaded portion 44 and a right-handed threaded portion 45 separated by a thrust collar groove 46. The upper portion 47 of base 37 (see particularly FIG. 3) includes a pair of slots 48, 49 therein aligned with threaded portions 44, 45, respectively. A center plate 50 is disposed in upper portion 47 and received in groove 46 (see particularly FIG. 2).

A left-hand guide in the form of a traveling nut 51 having left-hand threads is also disposed on upper portion 47 and in threaded engagement with left-hand threaded portion 44. A right-hand guide in,the form of a similar traveling nut 52 having right-hand threads is disposed on upper portion 47 and in threaded engagement with right-hand threaded portion 45. Arcuate plates 53, 54 are associated with nuts 51, 52, respectively and connected thereto by conventional socket head capscrews 55, 56 (nut 51) and like capscrews 57, 58 (nut 52). Capscrews and 58 are disposed on the outside of a pair of stabilizing jaws 59 and 60 associated with plates 53, 54, respectively. That is, jaws 59, 60 are welded or otherwise to their respective plates 53, 54 and extend upwardly therefrom and are generally channel-shaped in configuration. Capscrews 56 and 57 are disposed internally of jaws 59, 60, as shown.

The upper inner portions 61, 62 of jaws 59, 60, respectively, are preferably mitered to provide guiding means for the tool 18. Lock washers 63 may be associated with capscrews 55 through 58. The frustoconical configuration of base 37 is provided by beveling base 37 along sides 64, 65 for both weight reduction and clearance. One end of drive shaft 42 terminates in a square drive portion 66 for receiving a suitable tool thereon(not shown) for rotating shaft 42.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the threaded ends of capscrews 55 through 58 extendthrough slots 48, 49 and are threaded in suitable apertures in reduced portions 77, 78 of nuts 51, 52, respectively. These portions 77, 78 are slidable in slots 48, 49, respectively (see FIG. 5). In this manner, nuts 51, 52 are connected to jaws 59,60. The upper ends of jaws 59, 60 may also include handle bar portions 67, 68, respectively, on the sides opposite mitered portions 61, 62.

In operation, as can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 37 of centering tool 10 is mounted, via bearing collar 38 and its aperture 40, over the positioning pin 34 at the center of the positioning and coupling starting apparatus 11. In practice, first pipe 15 is suspended above tool 10 as shown in FIG. 1 and heretofore described. The tool 18 that it is desired to be coupled to pipe 15 is shown in solid lines as mounted on the upper portion 47 of the base 37 of centering tool 10. By applying a suitable tool to the drive portion 66 of shaft 42, shaft 42 can be rotated. Because of the engagement of plate 50 in groove 46 and the leftand right-hand threaded portions 44, 45, jaws 59, 60, carried by nuts 51 and 52, move in unison inwardly and outwardly upon the turning of the single drive shaft 42 clockwise or counterclockwise to thereby position tool 18 on base 37. The capscrews 55 through 58 and portions77, 78 of nuts 51, 52 move in slots 48 and 49 carrying jaws 59, 60 therealong. Thus, in the case of tool 18 being a small diameter pipe as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, the inner bearing surfaces 69, 70 on jaw 59 and surfaces 71, 72 on jaw 60 abut against tool 18 when jaws 59, 60 engage tool 18 to thereby stabilize the tool 18 in a position on base 37 (see FIGS. 3). Tool 18 is thus stabilized at four contact points. The arcuate openings 81, 82 in plates 53, 54, respectively, receive tool 18 therein also as shown in FIG. 3. 1

Centering tool 10 is also adapted to receive large diameter oil well tool collars or the like thereon. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an oil well tool 18 is shown in dotted lines and is to be understood as receivable on centering tool 10 in place of the smaller diameter tool 18. In this case, the tool 18 fits over jaws 59, 60 and is engaged internally by both bearing corners'73, 74 on the handle bar portions 67, 68, respectively (see particularly FIG. 3) and by bearing corners 75, 76 on plates 53, 54, respectively. Again, four stabilizing points are provided. The bearing corners 73 and 75 are generally vertically aligned as are corners 74 and 76.

it can be seen that centering tool can be used to quickly and easily grasp large and small diameter oil tools or the like, center such tools in a desired position and stabilize the tool for subsequent operations. Of

course, although centering tool 10 is particularly 1 adapted for centering generally tubular oil well tools or the like, obviously any device that can be grasped by jaws 59, 60 may be centered on tool 10 as described hereinabove.

After so centering either tool 18 or 18' on tool 10 as described hereinabove, table means 19 of appartus 11 may be pivoted and/or raised in the manner described in US. Pat. No. 3,670,603 to engage upper tool 15 with lower tool 18 (or 18). When the lower tool 18 engages the upper tool 15, one of the workers in FIG. 1 rotates table means 19 to rotate tool 18 and start the internal threads 17 thereof onto the external threads 16 of upper tool 15. While the threads are being started, the other worker gradually raises lower tool 18 to ease the load on threads 16, 17. When the upper and lower tools 15 and 18 are sufficiently threaded to be secured together for final tightening, jaws 59, 60 may be released from engagement with tool 18 via drive shaft 42 and tool 18 and apparatus 11 may be removed and stored until again needed.

Of course, the foregoing is also applicable to a large diameter upper tool that it is desired to couple to a large diameter lower tool 18.

Additionally, apparatus 11 and tool 18 may be used to hold a heavy lower tool 18 from dropping from upper tool 15 as lower tool 18 is being disconnected by placing tool 10 and apparatus 11 beneath lower tool 18 and manually raising table means 19 until it engages lower tool 18.

Thus, centering tool 10 may be used to position and hold in a centered position a tool on a base, while the oil well positioning and coupling starting apparatus can raise the positioned lower tool into engagement with a suspended upper tool, and rotate the heavy lower tool for coupling to the suspended upper tool.

The centering tool disclosed hereinabove may also be used alone to laterally adjust the position of an oil well tool thereon. In'this case, base 37 may rest on a suitable supporting surface having guide means receiving collar 38. Alternatively, collar 38 may be omitted and any suitable fixed support means may be provided. Finally, the arms 35 and associated operating features therefor on apparatus 11 may be eliminated with tool 10 resting directly on the upper surface of apparatus 11.

I claima 1. Apparatus for centering a heavy lower oil well tool or the like beneath a suspended upper tool or the like and for the positioning and rotational coupling of the upper and lower tools together, said apparatus comprising:

centering means for receiving and positioning said lower oil well too] thereon, said centering means including lateral positioning means associated therewith for selectively engaging said lower oil well tool and moving said engaged lower oil well tool laterally along said centering means to a position generally vertically aligned with said upper tool; table means for receiving said centering means thereon, said table means having guide means cooperating with guide means on said centering means to thereby align said centering means on said table means in a fixed, predetermined location; raising means associated with said table means for raising the table means and thus said centering means and said lower oil well tool carried thereby generally vertically upwardly until the lower oil well too] engages the upper oil well tool in a generally vertically aligned relationship therewith; and

mounting means associated with said table means for rotatably mounting said table means to permit the rotation of the lower oil well tool, the table means and said centering means relative to the upper oil well tool for rotationally coupling the tools together.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said centering means includes a base portion having said lateral positioning means thereon, said lateral positioning means including a drive shaft having right and left-hand threaded portions thereon and a camming surface separating said threaded portions, saiddrive shaft being threaded into a threaded aperture extending laterally of said base portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said lateral positioning means further'includes a first nuthaving righthand threads threaded onto the right-hand threaded portion of said drive shaft and a second nut having lefthand threads threaded onto the left-hand threaded portion of said drive shaft, the upper surface of said base portion having camming means thereon camming said camming surface in a manner preventing axial movement of said drive shaft in said aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim' 3 wherein said lateral positioning means further including a pair of longitudinally extending slots extending through the upper surface of said base portion and longitudinally aligned with the respective rightand left-hand threaded portions of said drive shaft, said nuts having extension portions thereon extending into their respective slots and slidable therealong.

5. The apparatus of claim 4wherein said lateral positioning means includes a pair of plates fixedly secured to each of said extension portions, each of said plates havingan arcuate portion opening inwardly of said base member and adapted to selectively abut against said lower oil tool when said drive shaft is rotated.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said lateral positioning means includes a pair of elongated jaws extending upwardly from each ofsaid plates and fixedly secured thereto, eachof said jaws being generally U- shaped in cross-section and opening in the same direction as said arcuate portions to thereby selectively abut against the outer surface of said lower oil well tool when said drive shaft is rotated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said lateral positioning means includes a plurality of abutment surfaces on the upper outer edges of said jaws.

8. A method for laterally positioning an oil well tool on a rotatably mounted table having a centering guide thereon, said method comprising the step of:

7 8 placing a centering tool having a pair of laterally abutment portions; and

movable Surfaces Wlth abutment Pomons thereon continuing the movement of said movable surfaces on said table aligned with said centering guide;

until said oil well tool is moved laterally along said placing said 011 well tool at a predetermined location on said centering tool, centering tool to a predetermined location thereon simultaneously moving both of said movable surfaces clamped between Said movable Surfacesuntil said oil well tool is engaged by one of said 

1. Apparatus for centering a heavy lower oil well tool or the like beneath a suspended upper tool or the like and for the positioning and rotational coupling of the upper and lower tools together, said apparatus comprising: centering means for receiving and positioning said lower oil well tool thereon, said centering means including lateral positioning means associated therewith for selectively engaging said lower oil well tool and moving said engaged lower oil well tool laterally along said centering means to a position generally vertically aligned with said upper tool; table means for receiving said centering means thereon, said table means having guide means cooperating with guide means on said centering means to thereby align said centering means on said table means in a fixed, predetermined location; raising means associated with said table means for raising the table means and thus said centering means and said lower oil well tool carried thereby generally vertically upwardly until the lower oil well tool engages the upper oil well tool in a generally vertically aligned relationship therewith; and mounting means associated with said table means for rotatably mounting said table means to permit the rotation of the lower oil well tool, the table means and said centering means relative to the upper oil well tool for rotationally coupling the tools together.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said centering means includes a base portion having said lateral positioning means thereon, said lateral positioning means including a drive shaft having right and left-hand threaded portions thereon and a camming surface separating said threaded portions, said drive shaft being threaded into a threaded aperture extending laterally of said base portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said lateral positioning means further includes a first nut having right-hand threads threaded onto the right-hand threaded portion of said drive shaft and a second nut having left-hand threads threaded onto the left-hand threaded portion of said drive shaft, the upper surface of said base portion having camming means thereon camming said camming surface in a manner preventing axial movement of said drive shaft in said aperture.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said lateral positioning means further including a pair of longitudinally extending slots extending through the upper surface of said base portion and longitudinally aligned with the respective right- and left-hand threaded poRtions of said drive shaft, said nuts having extension portions thereon extending into their respective slots and slidable therealong.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said lateral positioning means includes a pair of plates fixedly secured to each of said extension portions, each of said plates having an arcuate portion opening inwardly of said base member and adapted to selectively abut against said lower oil tool when said drive shaft is rotated.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said lateral positioning means includes a pair of elongated jaws extending upwardly from each of said plates and fixedly secured thereto, each of said jaws being generally U-shaped in cross-section and opening in the same direction as said arcuate portions to thereby selectively abut against the outer surface of said lower oil well tool when said drive shaft is rotated.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said lateral positioning means includes a plurality of abutment surfaces on the upper outer edges of said jaws.
 8. A method for laterally positioning an oil well tool on a rotatably mounted table having a centering guide thereon, said method comprising the step of: placing a centering tool having a pair of laterally movable surfaces with abutment portions thereon on said table aligned with said centering guide; placing said oil well tool at a predetermined location on said centering tool; simultaneously moving both of said movable surfaces until said oil well tool is engaged by one of said abutment portions; and continuing the movement of said movable surfaces until said oil well tool is moved laterally along said centering tool to a predetermined location thereon clamped between said movable surfaces. 